Little Sister
by iiMNOTOKAY
Summary: At least with Ed's new found height Winry wouldn't just be considered the 'little sister'. No, she'd be something much more. EdxWinry. What REALLY happened after the braiding of Ed's hair in episode 45. One-shot. R


**Hey all. This is my third one shot, Little Sister. Based off the lovely anime FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST! Gawd, I just finished the series last month (it was about time...) and I'm seriously still upset by it xD The ending to the movie made me cry pretty much. I was like... What about EdWinry, or even EdMustang?! -major fangirl moment-**

**It's an EdxWinry one shot. If you don't like it, don't read. Simple as that. It's probably fluff-tastic as well, btw.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any anime. Ohohoho, but if I did...**

**NOTE: Takes place in episode 45. It's MY version of that episode :)**

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"Ed! Al! How long will you be staying…?" She spoke as she hastily opened their room's door. All she could say was that she certainly didn't expect to see him like this…

Ed was obviously in the middle of either cleaning his hair or washing himself, because it wasn't exactly normal behavior for him to be shirtless with a damp towel covering his lower body and another thrown over his shoulders.

"I'm sorry!" Winry sputtered, trying not to look at Ed's obviously muscular figure. Scratch that, trying not to stare at it was hard enough.

When did he get so… Built? Is this what military-level training does to a person? If it was, she certainly wasn't complaining. Though, it was more than a little awkward for her to be seeing Ed like this.

It took most, if not all, of Winry's will-power to avert her eyes back to Ed's face as he responded to her moment of shock. Damn abs and biceps.

"It's all right." He replied with an easy-going smile. Winry watched on as he clapped his hands together and transmuted something in a ceramic bowl sitting in front of him.

She looked on in slight amusement as her dear friend dyed his radiant blonde hair a –in most cases- unappealing black. How the hell could his hair still look so… Good? It made her slightly jealous. Though, she was still taller than him. Not by much anymore, unfortunately. It looked as if her 'little brother' was growing up on her. Did this mean she would finally take the role of 'little sister' to Ed?

Well, that would be embarrassing…

Nonetheless, she clapped at the spectacular show. Alchemy was still mysterious to her, and since Ed and Al left she had seen a very little, if any, of it around her shop.

"Easy chemical reactions like this are only the basics of alchemy…" Ed began to explain. Typical Ed, always cutting straight to the facts.

She walked closer to Ed, at least until she noticed a rather odd-looking statue standing next to the door. It would have been all fine and well, except for the fact that the enormous figure began shaking. Winry screamed and she quickly jumped behind Ed on the bed.

"Wh-what is that?" She gaped, still taken aback from the bizarre looking object. Ed chuckled as it moved around some more.

"It's me, Winry!" Al stated as the girl looked on in near horror, gripping Ed a little tighter.

"Al?" She asked, eyebrows knitting in slight confusion. Her hands loosened up on Ed's back.

"I completely covered Al in bronze," Ed began to explain, yet again. "There aren't any seams, so unless someone splits it in half, no one will know he's in there."

"Are you leaving again?" Winry asked, her face dropping. Ed closed his eyes for a moment.

"There's something I have to do." Winry's face brightened up, turning back to the once blonde boy.

"I know! You're going to turn Al back to normal, right? Why don't you just do your research while hiding here?"

Her bright blue eyes darkened at the sight of Ed's shoulders drooping. A voice was heard from the hallway.

"Are you going to avenge Mr. Hughes?" It asked. The 'bookworm', as Winry had dubbed her.

"No, this isn't about revenge. Otherwise, Scar's death would have been in vain." Ed complied seriously, face hardening.

"Then-" The 'bookworm' spoke again, before leaving.

"But…" Ed continued. "There's just something I have to do."

"What could be more important than your research, or revenge?" The girl said.

The room turned suddenly tense.

"Ouch!" Ed shouted, turning to Winry. "What now?" He asked with a slight blush.

"I'll braid your hair for you…" Winry offered, hiding behind her bangs.

"Its fine, I'll do it later." He replied quickly, blush remaining on his face.

"I'll do it for you!" Winry stated louder this time, looking up with a smile.

It wasn't necessarily the fact that Ed was going away yet again that had made Winry so upset, no, she was actually quite used to that feeling by now. It was the fact that this time could be the last that she'd _ever_ see him. It could be the last time she'd ever braid his hair. The last time she'd ever be able to give him a hug, or fling something at his big, determined head.

Because Winry knew Ed could do anything he set his mind to. And who's to say that after this was all said and done that he would come back home? It was far more likely that he'd get some kind of fancy, extravagant promotion in the military and forget her forever.

It had become quite obvious to Winry that Ed had been doing a very good job in the military. Either that or he must have been simply mad with power. It took someone special to have most of the military out looking for one of their lost dogs.

Typical Ed. Winry should have seen this coming from a mile away.

"A-All right…" Ed complied, golden-flecked eyes looking away, face turning a deeper red.

The girl's smile widened as Ed turned away from her, his hair and back blocking his face and the rest of his body from Winry. She mentally sighed and got to work, picking up a section of his hair.

"I haven't done this in a long time…" She began, half-heartedly caressing his locks and he closed his eyes.

"Must have been more than a year." Ed replied. Winry silently nodded. She noticed Al attempting to silently squirm out of the room. She nearly laughed.

"You _are_ leaving?" Winy inquired quietly, combing a section on Ed's hair with her fingers. He nearly sighed.

"Yes."

"Ed, you don't always have to go through with these things by yourself, you know. There's always going to be people there for you who loves you and are willing to help. Like… Al… And your military friends… Pinako, and well… Me." Winry fumbled word after word as she tried to plan how to say what she had been meaning to say for so long smoothly.

"There's no reason why you should go through this with me, Winry. I don't want you to get involved in this hectic mess." Ed stated rather harshly. Winry's eyebrows furrowed.

"And why is that?"

"You shouldn't get hurt because of me." Ed spoke after a short sigh, turning to face Winry for what seemed like hours.

"O-oh." She replied, averting her eyes to Ed's hair once again. "B-but I don't mind getting hurt. For… _you_." Winry finished weakly, concentrating with all her might on the task in front of her and not what Ed's reaction would be. She felt a cold, metallic presence on the side of her cheek.

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself." And with that, his face had turned back around and the cold presence was gone, replaced with a knotting feeling in her gut. Why did her gut always have to twist and turn so whenever she was around this boy?

"Ed…" Winry said quietly, her sky blue eyes slightly glazed over.

"Yeah?" He replied, turning his head slightly.

"Never mind." She nibbled on her lip as she thought of a new topic, one to keep her far away from the topic she was about to abruptly bring up.

"I have gotten taller, haven't I?" Ed inquired with a devilish grin plastered on his face. Winry smiled.

"You have…"

"And I'm nearly as tall as you, at least, unless I already am your height!" He spoke excitedly, his smile reaching his eyes.

"Looks like I can't insult your height anymore, like I used to. And you probably won't have to go on and on about how others called you short, like you used to." Winry replied with a small smile. Things were certainly changing… And they were changing far too fast for her tastes.

"They won't be calling me your 'little brother' anymore." Ed said, referring to older days, many years ago. Winry giggled.

"They'll be calling me your little sister." Winry was surprised at how the conversation had turned to what she had been thinking about only several minutes ago.

"Or they'll be calling _us_ something else…" Ed said, his tone slightly diminishing in volume. Winry felt a pang in her chest.

"What do you mean?" She asked, already knowing the exact answer. Ed coughed lightly, obviously embarrassed by his earlier comment.

"Well, you know how people around here are. They see two people of the opposite sex who are around the same age together and automatically assume that they're…"

"Together?" Winry finished his statement for him.

"Exactly."

The two sat in silence for a moment, the only sound coming from Winry's working fingers. Ed's braid was nearly done, but she figured she could always say she had done a part wrong and work on it all over again. She might as well treasure the moment while it lasted.

"But…" Ed began as Winry gazed at the back of his head.

"Yeah?"

"It's not like… That'd be too much of a bad thing, honestly…" He finished, turning his head slightly to the side as if to observe Winry's reaction.

Her heart dropped. Had he just admitted that he liked her – Winry Rockbell? That all the times she fantasized that they'd end up happily ever after would have a shot at becoming a reality? That she should have announced her feelings long ago?

"Ed…" Winry began, a small smile forming on her lips. Ed got the wrong idea.

"It's okay. I should be going now, anyway." He spoke as he got up and began walking to the door. His fingers met his completed braid almost immediately.

"No!" Winry shouted, forcing her hand on his metal one. Edward stopped and turned in shock. "I don't think it'd be a bad thing, either!" She claimed loudly, biting her lower lip in adrenaline and excitement. Ed's eyes lit up even further in shock, and a smile played on his lips.

"_Really_?" He asked, almost unsure of her response. Winry nodded her head. She hadn't noticed how close that grip on his hand had seemed to make them, nor had Ed. The young man clumsily wrapped his arms around Winry, pulling her in even tighter. Winry's face had gotten increasingly red since her outburst, seeing that she was now being hugged by a shirtless boy.

"Yes, really." Winry had replied, wrapping her arms around Ed's back, her head leaning on his shoulder, fingers rubbing circles into his tender skin.

"Considering the current circumstances, I guess it's time I told you that… I love you, Winry. I have since the start..." Ed announced seriously, pulling out of the hug for a moment. Winry stared into his beautiful golden eyes in shock, before coming back to reality.

"I-I love you too, Ed."

That was when it happened. Her first kiss, her only truly wanted kiss, her best kiss, and the most memorable kiss of her life, as it was for Ed as well. It was sweet and had a much better aftertaste, a mix of triumph and emotions run free.

The young couple were both smiling when they pulled apart.

"And that's why you better get the hell back here _alive_, Edward Elric!" She demanded, hands on her hips playfully. Ed shook his head with a slight chuckle, full aware of the consequences of what he had to take care of.

"I'll try." He replied with a grin. She shook her head.

"No, you will." Winry argued with a slight pout, grabbing a hold of his shoulders.

"Fine. I will." Ed spoke with a serious face, shrugging her hands off of his shoulders and gripping them between the two.

"Promise?" She asked before blinking a few tears away. Ed's face turned solemn as he whiped them away with his human hand.

"I promise, Winry."

He gave her another shy, quick peck on her lips before turning around to clumsily meet Al at the door.

"I, Edward Elric, will promise to try my hardest to return home to Winry Rockbell." He yelled back to his old friend while leaning side to side. Winry giggled, he looked far too drunk for his own good.

"You're forgetting your clothes…" Winry commented with a small blush. Ed turned back around with a huff.

"You ruined my exit. But yes, those may come in handy…" He spoke quietly, picking up his clothes which were located in a pile at the edge of the bed. Winry looked on, trying to remember everything that was happening and make it permanent in her brain. If Ed never came back, at least she'd have her sweet memories…

Winry spoke up as he went back through the door.

"Ed. Do you think you will come back?" She asked worriedly, clutching her hands together in front of her body.

Ed's small smile vanished for a slight second.

"Goodbye for now, Winry." He chose to say before disappearing from her view.

And if Edward never did come back, Winry couldn't completely complain. She just knew her memories would never quite live up to the reality.

At least she wouldn't have memories of just being the little sister…

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**Well, first FullMetal Alchemist fanfic I've ever done! Not to mention a one-shot, too...**

**SPOILER ALERT IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH!**

**Anyways, I actually did like this one. I had originally planned the title for a different story and anime, but after I finished the FMA series and movie I've been through complete withdrawal. It's horrible, I start getting all depressed after hearing one of the theme songs... So, this made me feel slightly better. Even though I know they never end up together, at least not in the anime -sob-**

**Sos, please review! I'd be so happy to see how you all liked or disliked this story. After rereading it, I felt Ed's announcement was a bit sudden, but eh. I liked it overall, so oh well :)**

**Thanks for reading, and hopefully reviewing!**

**-iiMNOTOKAY**


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